Oakland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
San Pablo
Oakland
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 19%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
15 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Top 46%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs85 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
38 · Bottom 4%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
61 · Top 49%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | San Pablo | Oakland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,720 | 439,418 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,478 | $101,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,103 | $61,757 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 12,088/sq mi | 7,852/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $551,700 | $929,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,018 | $1,979 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.0% | 42.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 48.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 991 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -76.2% | 240.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 66°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.9" | 18.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.6 min | 32.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
San Pablo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Oakland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: San Pablo, CA · Oakland, CA · How this is calculated: methodology